This invention relates to an auxiliary outside air refrigerating mechanism for a refrigerated storage room or the like and more particularly to an electronically controlled refrigeration system that employs cold outside air to automatically assist or supplant a conventional refrigeration unit under appropriate circumstances.
Refrigerated storage rooms such as walk-in coolers are in widespread use in restaurants and stores that sell refrigerated products. Such coolers typically are cooled solely by conventional refrigerating units operated by compressors. These refrigerating units typically are in operation 100% of the time during summer months and about two thirds of the time during winter months. The compressors used to operate these refrigerating units generally are electrically operated, and substantial electrical expenses are involved in their operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary refrigerating unit that employs cold outside air to assist or supplant a conventional refrigeration unit in winter months, thereby reducing energy consumption and energy costs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an auxiliary outside air refrigerating system that chills the air in a refrigerated storage unit without creating any danger of contamination of the storage room air supply by pollutants that may be carried in the outside air.